Midnight Drama In Delhi's Daryaganj As Police Crackdown On Protesters, More Than 40 Detained

It was all-out chaos in Delhi's Daryaganj area on Friday night after the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill took an ugly turn. It all began in the afternoon when thousands of protesters at Jama Masjid decided to march to Jantar Mantar.

After they were stopped by the cops near Delhi Gate residents of Daryaganj also joined and the demonstrations were largely peaceful.

However, the atmosphere changed after a car was set on fire, allegedly by the protesters.

As the situation began slipping out of control, police moved in with water cannons and lathi-charged the protesters. At least 45 people, including 12 cops, were injured in the clashes that followed.

Blood splattered on the streets of Daryaganj. Many detained, many more injured. pic.twitter.com/Yp6iw4XL2t

¡ª Pinjra Tod (@PinjraTod) December 20, 2019

However, the police denied lathi-charging the protesters, saying that they only used "mild force" and water cannons.

Police also rounded up around 40 people, including some juveniles who were detained and taken to the Daryaganj station. The protesters then assembled outside the police station demanding the release of the detained.

#Delhi WILL NOT SLEEP TONIGHT
Photo 1 : Lawyers and others collect outside Daryaganj Police Station to represent over 30 people detained inside.
Photo 2 : People collecting at ITO again to push for release of detainees and medical assistance for those in LNJP hospital. pic.twitter.com/s2JoG6jSkN

¡ª Natasha Badhwar (@natashabadhwar) December 20, 2019

2:15 am : Outside Delhi Police Headquarter- How can we sleep when 7-8 year old children are under detention. Release THEM! #Daryaganj pic.twitter.com/uJ6VNrzprZ

¡ª Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) December 20, 2019

Several lawyers and doctors had also gathered outside the police station.

Order of the chief metropolitan magisrate, central Delhi.
1) Directs SHO, #Daryaganj to allow detainees to meet advocates under section 41(d) of CRPC
2) medical care to be provided to injured detainees
3) detention of minors in police station flagrant violation of law pic.twitter.com/fqeciLzrOD

¡ª Srinivas Kodali (@digitaldutta) December 20, 2019

As the crowds swelled, the cops released eight of them, who were proven to be minors.

Police also said that they have only detained 19 people in connection with the violence and others have been either admitted to hospitals or have been released.

Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar Azad, the Bhim Army who dramatically slipped away from the cops in Juma Masjid on Friday surrendered before the police later in the day. The hugely popular Dalit leader had made a dramatic appearance at the Juma Masjid after the Friday prayers, holding a copy of the Indian Constitution in his hand.

Azad said he was inside the Jama Masjid during the protest against CAA. ¡°We have to make sacrifices so that the legislation is taken back. We do not support violence. We were sitting inside the mosque since Friday morning and our people were not involved in violence,¡± Azad said, according to news agency PTI. He, however, slipped away through the crowd when police tried to detain him.

Speaking to the media after he emerged again, the Bhim Army chief said the protests would continue till the government does not withdraw the ¡°black law¡±. ¡°Police have been attacking since morning...we have not attacked them. I have evidence to prove that RSS has planned this attack against us. We are continuing our protest in a peaceful manner,¡± he said.

On Saturday morning areas including Daryaganj and Delhi Gate remained tense but no fresh violence has been reported.